WEST BRIGHTON — An antelope that's extinct in the wild was born at the Staten Island Zoo — an event officials say could help its species return to its North African homeland.
The male Scimitar-Horned Oryx named Felipe was born on March 12.
Oryxes have been extinct in the wild since the mid-1980s. They were killed off largely because of hunting for their large horns, meat and hides, the zoo's executive director Kenneth Mitchell said.
Several groups around the world banded together with the government of African nation Chad to help preserve the species. Currently 6,000 oryxes live in captivity, Staten Island Zoo officials said.
A male and a female arrived at the zoo in 2014.
Scimitar-Horned Oryxes used to live in herds of 20 to 40 in plains and deserts in northern African countries like Egypt, Senegal and Chad, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park.
Adults males generally grow to between 310 and 460 pounds and females between 200 and 300 pounds, according to the zoo. Felipe is 20 pounds.
They're able to withstand extreme heat because they can raise their body temperature up to 116 degrees so they can avoid sweating and conserve water, according to the Smithsonian.
In April, the Sahara Conservation Fund announced it would start a controlled release of 25 male adults into a gated reserve in Chad, with the goal to start a self-sustaining herd of 500, according to the Smithsonian.
